8 March 2010 - Anglo-Swedish pharma major AstraZeneca (LON: AZN) (STO: AZN) said today its tablet cancer drug Recentin did not prove equal to injectable rival treatment Avastin by Swiss Roche AG (VTX: ROG) in a head-to-head Phase III trial.
The so-called Horizon III study did not meet the primary endpoint to prove non-inferiority of Recentin as a treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in combination with chemotherapy.
Both Recentin (cediranib) and Avastin (bevacizumab) are designed to starve tumours by stopping them from building blood vessels, a process called anti-angiogenesis.
Although AstraZeneca was aware of the risks with challenging Avastin, the company is disappointed with the results.
Nevertheless, the pharma major maintained its financial guidance for 2010.
Horizon III is one of two pivotal studies of Recentin in mCRC. Data from the Horizon II trial, which is testing Recentin combined with chemotherapy against chemotherapy alone, is expected in the next months.
Based on the results from these two studies, AstraZeneca will decide whether it will apply for marketing approval of Recentin as a treatment for mCRC.
Recentin is also being tested in recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) brain tumours.
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